Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-02
A SOLITARY SURVIVOR
OF THE RECENT LAKE TRAGEDY
PICKED UP UNCONSCIOUS.

He Tells Sad Story of Reckless Tempt
ing of Providence-Fifty Lives Lost in
the Disaster-The st. Louis Explosion
Terrible Fate of Eight Sleeping Victims
Three Seriously Injured.
STURGEON BAY, Wis, Nov Aboard
the schooner Pomeroy, which passed here
Tuesday, was Fireman Alfred Stone, one of
sthe crew of the fated steamer Vernon He
was picked up Monday night about eight
miles from Sheboygan. With him on raft
was found the body of a man who is sup
posed to have been fireman.
Stone tells graphic story of the wreck. 81
awoke." he says "as the boat was sinking
and jumped through a window into the
water When plunged in there were peo-
pie scattered around in life-preservers. |
saw the life raft on the crest of wave no.
far distant, and succeeded in reaching it.
The ice-cold water dashed over the raft,
chilling and freezing the half-dozen people
on it. One by one they succumbed to the
cold and were swept off by the waves. The
people floating about in life-preservers stood
small chance in the terrible sea that was rag
ing saw several persons torn out of their
cork jackets by the violence of the waves
and go down never to reappear There was
little shrieking or conf sion
1.-THE next morning was left alone on the
raft, the others having fallen off. l saw a
steamer approaching from the north. For a
time it seemed to be bearing directly upen
me. As it approached | frantically waved
my handkerchief, hoping to attract attention.
| thought could see men on the steamer
watching me, but she passed by about half a
mile away. As she disappeared thought my
fate must be sealed. The waves were the
highest | ever saw, and were continually
washing over the raft, taxing my rap
idly declining strength to the utmost
to hold on. On one occasion the raft was
upset | nearly gave out before reaching
it, but finally succeeded in crawling back
The sea began going down on Saturday
and the water stopped washing over the
raft. This gave me no relief from cold, as |
was wet through and frost bitten, but was
no longer in danger of being swept off, as
were the other five. was about overpow-
cred when rescued"
Regarding the cause of the wreck Stone
says that lot of pig-iron was taken aboard
at Cheboygan. Her cargo consisted Of APP
pies, fish, potatoes, pig-iron, and slaves, and
the load was unusually heavy, the boat being
loaded about one foot deeper than usual
the deck being only about six inches above
water
After leaving Frankfort the weather was
fine, and continued so until 10 p M, when a
gale from the northwest set in. Stone SAYS
he was on watch till midnight The sea rose
rapidly, and the boat labored heavily, al
| though she seemed while he was on deck to
steer pretty we'll Her excessive load
between decks prevented ihe closing
Of the gangways. At the gang
ways the deck was only about one and
one-half inches above water on the starboard
| side and six inches on the port side. She
rolled good deal until about a. m, and
| the wather was washing through the gang
ways Before that hour there was at one
time considerable water in the hold, which
they pumped out with syphon. and sup.
| posed everything was all right.
Stone says that before he went off watch
he ventured to suggest to the captain that
| some lading be thrown off, so that the gang
ways could be closed, but the latter told
| him to go to hell, and that he was running
| that boat He also says he asked the mate
| why they did not turn around and put back
! He says that after the wreck and while on
a raft one of the firemen told him that one
| of the fires was put out at 5 O'clock
The Pomeroy ran into the life raft, and the
mate leaning over saw Stone. The latter,
| though unconscious, was rowing. Stons
does not remember the names of the other
parties who were on the raft with him. He
thinks there were between fifty and sixty
| persons aboard the Vernon when she found
| cred As far as can be learned the ma iority
| of the people on board went down with the
vessel, not having enough time to take to the
| life RATS